Oss is Boss on final stage of USA Pro Cycling Challenge

Overnight leader Levi Leipheimer has won the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge, successfully controlling his main rivals on the final stage to Denver and finishing sixth in the final sprint to the line. Quickest in the final 200 metres was the Liquigas-Cannondale rider Daniel Oss, who had worked Friday and Saturday to set up his team-mate Elia Viviani, and who was rewarded today by the Italian when he handed him the win.

Freddy Rodriguez (Team Exergy) picked up third place, one ahead of Danny Summerhill (Garmin-Cervélo). Leipheimer policed the moves on the final lap, marking one effort by Tejay Van Garderen (HTC Highroad), who started the day third overall, and then fought it out for the sprint. He rolled over the line in sixth, and with his rivals missing out on the time bonus, he retained his yellow jersey and triumphed overall.

“It’s hard to put into words and to describe the emotion and experience that I’ve had this week,” said Leipheimer afterwards. “Today has been the biggest crowd that I’ve seen in the U.S. and that is really saying something.

“This race really raised the bar for American cycling. This victory means so much to me because of the way we raced this week. It took every ounce of energy and motivation we had to pull it off.”

Oss appeared to work as usual to lead out Viviani, but the latter eased back to allow his team-mate to win. He’s now clocked up the second victory of his pro career, following on from the Giro del Veneto last year. “The emotion is very strong for this victory because it is the fruit of hard work, so much belief and a harmony of incredible team,” he said.

“The will to win was very strong in order to prove my worth. I try to do all the races with this intensity and because my condition is good now, everything turns out in the best way.”

The new stage race was a major success; it was affected by TV transmission problems earlier in the week when the plane relaying the images had problems with freezing wings, but the huge crowds on evidence showed that the public had embraced the event. This was particularly evident on the final stage, with massive groups of spectators lining the circuit and making the race a big draw for any companies considering backing next year’s competition.

Early break gains time

The 115.9 kilometre final stage of the race started in Golden and then headed north out of town, returned to downtown Golden and then climbed Lookout Mountain. It would once again pass through Golden, then finally move onwards to Denver, where the riders would taken in six laps of an eight kilometre finishing circuit.

There was aggressive racing early on, then after approximately half an hour of racing the riders scaled the day’s sole King of the Mountains climb, that of Lookout mountain. There the Colombian EPM-UNE rider Rafael Infantino Abreu took top points, beating compatriot Rafael Montiel (Gobernacion De Antioquia - Indeportes Antioquia), Christian Vande Velde (Team Garmin-Cervélo), Levi Leipheimer (Team RadioShack) and Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Highroad) to the summit.

Montiel’s second place on the climb was enough to seal his win in the classification, with the rider beating another Colombian Walter Fernando Pedraza Morales (EPM – UNE) by a single point.

The first riders past the summit pushed ahead in a group and were caught soon afterwards by another bunch. Present here were Tour de France champion Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team), Robert Gesink (Rabobank), Danny Pate (HTC-Highroad), Peter Stetina and Tom Peterson (Garmin-Cervelo) and more.

Just over an hour into the stage, four riders clipped away. They were Oscar Sevilla (Gobernacion De Antioquia - Indeportes Antioquia), Matt Cooke (Exergy), Javier Megias (Team Type 1) and Lachlan Norris (HTC-Highroad). Sevilla was the best placed, having started the day three minutes 16 seconds off Leipheimer’s yellow jersey.

After 62 kilometres the quartet had gained 55 seconds; this was up to one minute 15 seconds with 48 kilometres left, and rose to two and a half minutes on lap two of six. However with three laps to go it had plummeted to just 45 seconds and this prompted Megias to go clear. Norris resisted and chased, while the other two were recaptured. The move was finally brought back eleven kilometres from the finish.

Late surges in finale

A bunch sprint was looking more and more likely but some riders had other hopes. The Kiwi national champion Hayden Roulston (HTC Highroad) put in an aggressive attack with nine clicks left and gained a good gap; he raced onto the last lap and was joined by Oscar Alverez (Gobernacion de Antioquia) and Ryan Roth (SpiderTech p/b C10).

Surprisingly, Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) set off in pursuit and tried to get across. However there was a general regrouping heading into the final two kilometres and things were set for a bunch sprint. Van Garderen did what he could to try to shake Leipheimer off, but despite a fully committed surge, the elastic wouldn’t snap.

Elia Viviani (Liquigas-Cannondale) had been the quickest in the previous two stages and said after yesterday’s win that he planned to aim for three in a row. However in the gallop to the line, he eased back rather than coming around leadout man Daniel Oss. The Italian duly won the stage, leading Viviani and Rodriguez in. Leipheimer took sixth and won the race overall, becoming the first winner in its history.